Myrta Merlino’s debut as the new host of “Pomeriggio 5” did not go as planned. As previously announced, Merlino left Urbano Cairo’s network, where she hosted the talk show “L’aria che tira,” and joined Barbara D’Urso on Mediaset’s daily program “Pomeriggio 5.”
Her arrival at Mediaset caused some discontent among viewers, not to mention the rumors of the alleged firing of her long-time director just hours before the first live broadcast, possibly due to some slip-ups during the inaugural episode.
Adding to the tension was the return of the competing show “La vita in diretta,” hosted by Alberto Matano, on Rai1 on Monday, September 11th.
The two programs have always competed for afternoon ratings, and Barbara D’Urso had fought tooth and nail to stand out in the Auditel data. So, how did the battle between “La vita in diretta” and the new version of “Pomeriggio 5” end? Let’s find out in the next paragraph…
Myrta Merlino, a drop in ratings for “Pomeriggio 5”
On Monday, September 11th, the Neapolitan host recorded a 17% television share. However, the ratings plummeted in the second segment, reaching a share of 14.8% and 1,268,000 active viewers.
On the other hand, Alberto Matano once again established himself as the leader of the challenging time slot, attracting 1,433,000 viewers with a final share of 18.20%. The host had followed the changes in “Pomeriggio 5” with curiosity and, aware of the strength of “La vita in diretta,” commented, “They seem to be copying our format a bit.”
Alberto Matano’s comment on “Pomeriggio 5”
Alberto Matano watched the inaugural episode of “Pomeriggio 5” and later told the publication “Libero,” “I watched the episode and also read many things online, on social media, where many users commented that this year they seem to be copying our format.”
He then argued, “This can only please me. Everyone adds their own touch, of course, but the model seems to be that of ‘La vita in diretta,’ even the new set design seems to resemble ours a bit, so I’m glad, it means we got the format right.” Alberto Matano then concluded with a subtle dig, saying, “After all, it’s not the first time competitors have looked to public service, so: good!”
Segui Avvisatore su Instagram: @avvisatore.it